Scones – The Pajama Chef

Peach Cobbler Scones

June 11, 2015August 19, 2020 Sarah

These Peach Cobbler Scones are flaky and tender… the epitome of summer, with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar on top. 🙂

Yes, I know that says Peach Shortbread Scones. They are really Peach Cobbler Scones. Details, details… the DETAIL that is important is how excellent these scones are, no matter what they are called. 🙂 To say that I loved these scones is an absolute understatement. I LOVED these scones. Sorry for shouting, it’s true though.

I made these scones at the tail end of summer last year, with the last of the impossibly delicious and super fresh Georgia peaches that come into Nashville by the truckload. I don’t think I’ve had a bad peach since moving south. But a bad apple? By the dozen, unfortunately. But this isn’t apple season… it’s peach season! So let’s celebrate with these scones. 🙂 I waited patiently to share them with you, but now I’ll have to make another batch with the first peaches of the year.

These scones are such a treat, and a wonderful way to enjoy fresh peaches. Normally fruit scones can be difficult to work with because the juices soak into the pastry dough, but this time the fruit is layered between the dough, cobbler style. Hence the name, ha. The dough bakes up around the peaches, creating a delicious pillowy effect. A dusting of cinnamon sugar completes these tasty treats. When you make them, be sure to use good peaches. There’s not much added sugar so the sweetness is totally fruit-driven. Enjoy!

one year ago: Tabbouleh
two years ago: Italian Chicken & Veggie Couscous Bowls
three years ago: Orange-Glazed Chicken Stir-Fry
four years ago: Strawberry Chocolate Coconut Pancakes

Peach Cobbler Scones

Servings: 8
Time: 45 minutes
Print

from Tracy’s Culinary Adventures

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 large egg
3/4 cup cold buttermilk + extra for brushing
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 ripe peaches, thinly sliced – can leave skin on or peel it off
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs [butter pieces shouldn’t be larger than a pea]. In a measuring cup or small bowl, use a fork to beat together thee egg, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and vanilla. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and use a fork to gently mix until dough comes together.

Turn dough out onto a floured countertop. Gently knead a few times to bring dough together, then press into a 12×10 inch rectangle. Brush the long half of the dough with buttermilk, then place peach slices in a single layer over the buttermilk-brushed dough. Fold the opposite side of the dough and place on top of peaches to cover completely, then press edges gently to close. Cut dough into eight equal pieces and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.

Refrigerate scones for at least 20 minutes if they are soft, then combine sugar and cinnamon. Brush top of scones with buttermilk and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until golden brown and the edges don’t appear wet/gooey. Cool on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Unbaked scones can be frozen until ready to bake, just add a few minutes to baking time. Scones are best within two days of baking, but refrigerate any leftovers and they’ll last a little longer. 🙂

Breakfast, Recipes, Scones

Mystery Dish: Pineapple Scones

April 29, 2015May 7, 2015 Sarah

Sweet, tropical pineapple scones… with smooth coconut and crunchy cashews, these are a treat you won’t be able to resist!

This month for Mystery Dish, Kristi at Inspiration Kitchen was our host and she challenged us to use three ingredients from this fabulous list: apricots, asparagus, vidalia onions, fennel/tarragon, chicken, puff pastry, coconut, cashews, chocolate, and pineapple. I’m a fruit girl at heart, and there’s nothing I love more than a big bowl of fresh pineapple. Feels like summer to me! So when I saw pineapple on that list, I KNEW it would be front and center in my recipe. I had all sorts of ideas, but finally landed on the idea of a quick and tasty scone.

I know you might be thinking… pineapple? In a scone? Is she crazy? I have to admit I was skeptical too. Pineapple seems too… wet or something to be baked like this. But truly, these are some of the best scones I’ve ever made. They are sweet but not cloyingly so, light and airy with just a bit of crunch from the coconut and cashews. Tropical flavors at their best! On a whim, I stirred in some Lightly Dried Ginger that I received from Gourmet Gardens as part of the #HotSummerEats blogging event I’m joining this summer. And as I suspected, ginger + pineapple + coconut + cashews = heaven. Enjoy!

one year ago: Chili Lime Popcorn
two years ago: Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
three years ago: Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup

Pineapple Scones

Servings: 16
Time: 30 minutes
Print

from Land O Lakes

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained [reserve juice]
2-3 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice
2 eggs
1 teaspoon grated ginger – or lightly dried ginger from Gourmet Garden
1/2 cup sweetened coconut + more for sprinkling
1/3 cup chopped cashews

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and brown sugar. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together pineapple, 2 tablespoons juice, and eggs. Fold wet ingredients into dry and stir until just combined.

Knead dough in bowl a few times, incorporating a little more flour or pineapple juice depending on how wet/dry the dough is [I had to add an extra tablespoon of pineapple juice]. Dough will be sticky.

Divide dough in half, then pat each half into a circle. Cut each circle into 8 wedges [or 6 if you want them a bit bigger]. Do not separate as dough puffs during baking. Sprinkle dough with additional coconut. Bake for 13-15 minutes, increase oven temperature to 500 degrees for last 30-45 seconds of baking to toast coconut further if desired.

Allow scones to cool a few minutes, then cut wedges to separate into individual scones. Enjoy warm!

Check out what my other Mystery Dish pals made this month!

Pineapple Cake from I Dig Pinterest

Tropical Chicken Tacos from Inspiration Kitchen

Honey Pineapple Chicken Teriyaki Skillet from Flavor the Moments

Chicken Alfredo Bacon Pastry Pockets from Simply Gloria

Ricotta Asparagus Tart from Yummy Healthy Easy

Pineapple Scones from The Pajama Chef

Disclosure: I received an assortment of herbs from Gourmet Garden to try as part of my participation in the #HotSummerEats blogging event, coming this summer. I was not compensated in any other way, and am not required to publish positive comments. My opinions are my own.

Breakfast, Recipes, Scones

Honey Fig Scones

September 19, 2011September 18, 2011 Sarah

Fresh figs are my new favorite late-summer treat. As tempting as it was to not eat every last one of those sweet, soft bites of fruit that have recently arrived in my CSA basket while standing over the kitchen sink, I chose to take the higher ground and share with Ben. What a lucky guy! And what better way to share than with these delicious scones?

These Honey Fig-Apricot Scones are slightly sweet thanks to the honey, chewy from the oats, and full of pouches of fresh figs and dried apricots. Plus, since scones are so easy to make, they’re a cinch to whip up and the perfect treat for a lazy weekend brunch or afternoon tea. This is definitely a great way to enjoy figs… I only wish there were more to enjoy!

Reader Question ~ Have you ever had fresh figs? What’s your favorite way to enjoy them?

Honey Fig-Apricot Scones [from Brown Eyed Baker]
printable version

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons fat free half and half
1 cup diced figs and apricots [fresh or dried; I used about 2/3 cup fresh figs and 1/3 cup dried apricots]

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, oats, baking powder, and cinnamon. Then, in a smaller bowl, whisk together egg and oil. Then add honey and mix well. Fold the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Then gently mix in half and half. In a small bowl, cover figs and apricots with sugar and then fold into dough.

Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet in generous 1/4 cup increments. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Serve warm, preferably the same day the scones are baked. Otherwise store in an airtight behavior or freeze until ready to eat.

Yield: 8 scones.

Time: 40 minutes [15 minutes active].

Breakfast, Recipes, Scones

Lavender-Lime Scones

July 25, 2011July 23, 2011 Sarah

So, there are lots of food combinations in the world. Some are familiar and welcoming, like peanut butter and jelly or Oreos and milk. Others aren’t as common but can be equally delicious if only given a chance. And we’re all about food equality here at TPC! 🙂

So, please don’t just ignore these poor scones just because they are a bit atypical. Lavender and lime pair together to form a wonderful, albeit unusual flavor palate.

Let’s first consider the lavender side of things.

Lavender can be more than just pleasing to the eye. Yes, lavender is widely considered to be a flower, or at the very least, a part of the floral family, but actually–it’s part of the mint family and culinary lavender [which is what should be used for baking] is more of an herb than anything else. In these scones, lavender adds a light note and a wonderful aroma while baking.

And limes… we all know that they are often a neglected member of the citrus family, but they shouldn’t be! The lime contrasts with the lavender to add a tart, zesty zing that is just perfectly refreshing in the heat of summer.

This is one recipe worth enduring the heat of the oven for! So be sure to hit up a local farmer’s market to grab some culinary lavender before the season ends. We loved these scones fresh out of the oven, or served up for breakfast the next day with just a touch of butter. Be aware though, that the lavender flavor intensifies after a couple days. So for a less intense experience, eat these quickly!

So tell me… what’s one off-beat food you’ve tried lately?

Lavender-Lime Scones [from thegourmetro]
printable version

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar plus more for topping
dash salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
zest of one lime [about 2 tablespoons]
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lavender [or 2 teaspoons dried]
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and chilled in the freezer for 15 minutes
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two medium baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a food processor, mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add lime zest and lavender and pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles cornmeal. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, whisk together yogurt and buttermilk. Add to dry ingredients and mix until dough comes together. Then, using floured hands, gently knead dough in bowl for a minute. Scoop dough out in 1/2 cup increments onto prepared baking sheets, topping with a little granulated sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes, then remove to wire rack. Makes 12.

Breakfast, Recipes, Scones

Cranberry Scones

December 23, 2010November 14, 2011 Sarah

In my family, Christmas breakfast is a big deal. Every year since I can remember, we’ll take a pause from present-opening to have a delicious breakfast of egg souffle, fruit, sausage and a special breakfast sweet bread. Growing up, our tradition was to always have an apple coffee cake. Same recipe every year. Absolutely delicious. In more recent years though, we’ve altered that strategy, experimented a little more, and have tried out new recipes.

This year is no exception. I’m not entirely sure what my mom’s plotting for our Christmas breakfast bread, but I’m sure that it will be great. [I heard rumors of cinnamon rolls, but I won’t know until we arrive home later today…] With that in mind, please consider these cranberry scones as an option for your Christmas breakfast table.

These Cranberry Scones are perfect in so many ways. Their texture is light and fluffy. Each bite is buttery and rich, with a sweet-tart kick from the cranberry and lemon zest to balance out the richness. They are incredibly easy to make and shape [at least for scones], and look fancy for guest or family without requiring an excessive stint in the kitchen. Finally, they can be frozen and baked [or rebaked]… which is a plus for any holiday morn!

Cranberry Scones [from Annie’s Eats]

Ingredients:

zest of one lemon [approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons]
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces [I like to place the pieces in foil and stick them in the freezer until I’m ready for it.]
1 1/4 cups fresh cranberries
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk [save the white for breakfast!]
1 cup heavy cream or half and half

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor, mix lemon zest, flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and baking powder. Pulse several times to combine. Add the butter piece by piece, and pulse in between each addition. The texture should resemble coarse crumbs; continue to pulse until it does. Remove to a mixing bowl.

Place cranberries and sugar in food processor. [Don’t worry about cleaning out the bowl because the cranberries will be blended with the dough soon.] Pulse a couple of times to chop the cranberries and mix with the sugar. Stir cranberries into dough.

Meanwhile, whisk together the egg, yolk, and heavy cream. Pour into the dough and stir until just combined. Form into a ball and knead together several times in the mixing bowl.

Shape dough into 3 inch balls. Place several inches apart on a baking sheet and press down slightly to flatten dough.

Bake until golden brown, approximately 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Note:

If you don’t have a food processor, feel free to use a pastry blender or two knives to mix the dough and a sharp knife to chop the cranberries.

Click here for the printable version: Cranberry Scones

Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Chicago Metallic.

Question of the Day: Do you have a special Christmas breakfast tradition?